UWGB, St. Norbert College, Green Bay area educators, and other community leaders announce Delegation Scores from LCV’s 2015 National Environmental Scorecard.

GREEN BAY, WI - Today, students from University of Wisconsin-Green Bay, St. Norbert College, Green Bay area educators, and other community leaders unveiled League of Conservation Voters’ 2015 Environmental Scorecard at a rally outside the Brown County Courthouse. This year, more votes than ever were tracked, revealing that the 114th congress has unleashed more attacks on our natural resources than any other year in our history.

UW-Green Bay student, Lorissa Banuelos, said “As a leader of UW-Green Bay’s student environmental group, I know the importance of conserving our air, land, and water for the next generation. When I talk to my peers, they agree, and together we are doing our part in our community to ensure Wisconsin remains safe and beautiful for our children. I am disappointed to see Ron Johnson's grade so out of touch with reality.”

Scores are given to every member of the U.S. House and Senate. In Wisconsin, the most notable score was Senator Ron Johnson, who received a zero, bringing his lifetime environmental score to just four percent.

Maggie McConnaha a St. Norbert student, criticized Johnson, saying “Today, I join with my fellow students in giving Ron Johnson an F grade for his assignment to protect our natural resources. We are ashamed that Ron Johnson sided with corporate polluters and not the needs of his constituents. Students like us all across the state will not stand for this behavior from our Senator.”

Thielen continued, “Our decision makers in Washington DC need to stand up for us and support legislation that aims to reverse the undeniable science of climate change, not take steps to roll back progress we have already made on this enormous threat to our community.”

The 2015 Scorecard includes votes cast during the first session of the 114th Congress. Both chambers seemingly left no environmental issue untouched in 2015, with assaults on the Clean Air Act, the Clean Water Act, the National Environmental Policy Act, the Endangered Species Act, and the Antiquities Act. It includes 35 House votes, which ties the record for the most votes scored in the House for the fourth time in five years, and 25 votes in the Senate, the second highest number ever included.

You can follow state legislation impacting natural resources on our Conservation Vote Tracker, a real-time accountability tool that provides you with a complete picture of what conservation issues are in play and how legislators are performing: http://conservationvoters.org/vote-tracker/.